How to Write a Killer Movie or Music Review

Writing a movie, music, or book review is a fairly simple process, but writing an engaging review can be a hair trickier. There are a few simple steps writers can take to make their reviews more interesting for their readers.

What we need to keep in mind as writers is that movie/book/music reviews are a dime a dozen online. You can find them in ample abundance on Amazon, on people's blogs, from film critics, and on well known pop culture websites. What makes your review special is YOU. I'll walk you through some tips for making your reviews as unique as possible so that they have a better chance of standing out in a crowd.

While this "How-To" is geared toward pop culture centric reviews (ie TV & Film, Music, and Books), it also can also be applied to just about any review you write on Hubpages and beyond.

Special Note: I use the term "review" for a wide range of article types, from impressions to fan guides to round-ups. For the purposes of this article the term "review" refers to commentary on a film, television show, album, event, or product. It's okay if doesn't fall under the traditional "professional critic review" umbrella so long as you're creating something unique.

What to Review?

1. What to Review?

If it's a product review, it's best to choose something you own to review. It's fine to review films/tv shows/books you've only seen/read, but don't own, just make sure you're very familiar with the subject matter. You can also review a group of similarly themed movies/tv shows/albums in the same article.

Tip: If you're doing a review on your blog or on Hubpages with an affiliate link, it's best to choose something that isn't likely to go out of stock. As such, reviews on movies, TV shows, books, and albums are often the safest choice.

Positive or Negative?

2. Does it Have to Be a Positive Review?

Take a cue from film critics: Not all reviews have to be glowing. It's usually smart to include a mix of the things you love along with criticisms, ie things that didn't work for you. Don't be afraid to write a review on a movie that was awful either, because sometimes movies are epically bad, but still thoroughly entertaining. Sometimes it's fun to just tear into a movie or album that makes you furious.

Tip: One of the keys to writing in an engaging way is to write like a human being. If your review is 100% positive, happy-happy, this is the best thing EVER and will solve ALL YOUR PROBLEMS, you will be more likely to lose credibility. While reviews like this might slide for a favorite film, album or book, if it's a product review you will be more likely to come off as an Internet salesman robot.

3. Remember Remember Remember

One of the biggest tools you have in your writer's arsenal is your memory. While a first person narrative is not the professional standard for film, television, music, or literary reviews, your personal stories and anecdotes can definitely help you bring an engaging article together.

Even if you don't have a specific memory to share, you can still expound on when someone might enjoy watching the movie or listening to the album you're reviewing. You can base this off your own experiences and impressions. Is it a "lay in bed sick" kind of movie, or "Friday night, gripping the edge of your seat, popcorn falling out of your mouth" kind of movie?

4. Get Specific

This is an age old writing tenant: Good writing is specific. Give readers specific visuals and ideas to latch onto and they'll be more likely to actually finish reading (and maybe even share) your review.

Tip: "The Goonies is the funniest movie ever" tells your reader nothing. "The scene when Chunk confesses that he made an entire movie theater throw up on each other is one of the funniest moments in The Goonies" is better. You can also draw specific comparisons to other films/tv shows/albums/books, discuss how a it stacks up within its genre, clarify why certain plot points work (or not), or tell us why a lead character is so darn charming. If you're ever at a loss for specifics, as yourself "why" then explain it to your readers.

Avoid Summaries

5. Avoid Lengthy Summaries

A lengthy summary of a story, the complete specs for a product, or the track list of an album are available in the product listing. Reiterating it in your review, even if it's in your own words, is redundant and won't add value. You have to figure, why would someone want to read your movie review as opposed to just reading a movie summary elsewhere?

Tip: Does this means all summaries are out? Certainly not! Just don't make it the man focus of the review. Write about the main themes of the book, a key scene in a movie, your favorite actors in the TV show, or the best tracks on the album (for example), but don't go into crazy detail and certainly don't add any spoilers.* If it's a movie, consider adding the trailer or your favorite clips via the Youtube; if it's an album, you can add a music video.

*Technically, you can add spoilers. You're your own person. You can live your own life.

Here's what I do: In general, if it's a brand new, still in theaters movie, I definitely avoid all spoilers. If it's a movie that's been out for years, I might get lax with my rule. If you can't contain yourself, it's a good practice to warn your readers so they don't trip over your hidden spoiler then cry because you ruined a movie they hadn't seen yet.

Use Unique Images

6. Use Unique Photos Whenever Possible

While using unique photos is always preferred online, but when writing a review, it is even MORE important to include them. The reason for this is if you only have a standard product image on the review, when someone shares on social media, the image attached to it will be generic (and found dozens of places online). If you add your own image, you'll instantly make your review more unique.

Tip: Choose a personal, creative commons, or public domain photo that plays off of some aspect of your review, just be sure to use proper attribution. Some ideas: a photo from the time period that show was on TV, a photo of the DVD on your shelf, a photo of the car you used to blast the album in, etc.

Break the Mold

7. Don't Be Afraid To Break the Mold

Your article does not need to be in the traditional format of "expounding on the virtues and failings" of something; I believe the funnest articles are those that break the mold. If you have a great story revolving around a certain album, share it. If you have a game you like to play while watching a specific movie, tell us how to do it. If you have your own tips for using a great product or some unique information about it, let us know.

Make the special, unique part of your experience the focal point of the review, and it will instantly be more useful and entertaining to readers.

Tip: It doesn't matter if your finished piece no longer resembles a traditional review - if it is unique and/or entertaining, more people will want to read it.

Have Fun with Themes

8. Give it a Theme

Are you writing a comedy movie review? Make it a funny one. Are you writing a horror movie review? Make it spooky. Are you writing a review on Groundhog's Day? Make it Bill Murray-rific. If you're having fun while writing it, hopefully people will have fun reading it as well.

9. Don't Be Afraid to Share It!

While search engine traffic is lovely, you can't always rely on it. If you want your review to be read, you'll need to share it on Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, or whatever site(s) you use most.

Tip: I find that if an article or review performs well on social media, Google will "pick up on it" down the road. Be patient!

Questions & Answers

Questions must be on-topic, written with proper grammar usage, and understandable to a wide audience.

Comments - Do you have any tips for your fellow writers?

No HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites.

sending

AUTHOR

Shay Marie

6 months agofrom Southern California

Choosing images can by tricky, but I try to not to overthink it. In general, I choose images that I can make work with a text overlay. I do a lot of skincare reviews these days, so I take pictures specifically for the article in question. As for fonts, choosing a few favorites can make the process much simpler of course, but also can "brand" your writing by giving your graphics a similar look. If I do want to incorporate something outside of my regular font choices, I just drop fonts in until I find something that clicks. The most important thing is to make sure the font is legible -- simple is always a good choice.

Dina

6 months agofrom California

This was such a helpful hub, Shay. I have done more "analysis-y" type of things, but I like what you were saying in terms of personalizing the hub/review. I tend to shy away from that for some reason. I'll have to make an effort to include more detailed links to my own personal experience of the book/movie/show.

Quick question, though: can you write about how you use your own images? I like how they're personalized/tailored to your hub. I think it's a cool little touch that makes your hub unique. How do you go about choosing the images? And, like, what about font choices? Do you keep the same font for all your hubs?

I'm off to follow your awesome page because I am really impressed by your approach to writing. Nice meeting you.

goku

12 months ago

ok but how do i write

Nada Said

16 months ago

Thanks for the tips ...so useful

Merry Citarella

4 years agofrom Oregon's Southern Coast

I'm glad to see this again. I needed to re read it. Thanks again for the good tips.

asereht1970

4 years ago

Thanks for the tips. I'm sure this will be a great help for all of us...

HappyCircle

4 years ago

Awesome advice, Shay_Marie. Thanks for sharing and paying it forward.

Lionrhod

4 years agofrom Orlando, FL

@Gwondo: Great tip! Now you've got my creative juices flowing! I definitely have a niche to go after.

Lionrhod

4 years agofrom Orlando, FL

Sadly, I'm one of those people who if they watch a movie, don't remember most of the particulars years later. Unless it's a movie that impacts me in a strong way. But hmmm...there are a few I remember. Eventually I'll have to re-up with netflix.

Gwondo

4 years ago

When I owned my Video Store people would always ask for recommendations. It was always great when I gave them that little known movie and they came back raving about it. Don't always go for the mainstream and you might build your own little following. Great guide shay-marie.

Sherry Venegas

4 years agofrom La Verne, CA

The best tip for me is do not expect the search engine to find your review. Duh, that is what I have been waiting for. All my book and movie reviews sink. Thanks for that. I just have to not be shy about it.

yoursfoolie

4 years ago

"Don't be afraid to write a review on a movie that was awful, for example, because sometimes movies are epically bad, but still thoroughly entertaining.'... Boy, did that sentence bring back some funny, funky memories!...

Eugene Samuel Monaco

4 years agofrom Lakewood New York

Congratulations on LOTD!!! And thanks for the great advise :)

Lionrhod

4 years agofrom Orlando, FL

Excellent advice! I'm saving the link for when I'm ready to write a review.

Lydia Workman

4 years agofrom Canada

Thank you very much! I have already gotten some great ideas. I could write music lens about classical music. I used to work in a classical record store, but it is only a minor interest these days. I still listen to classical music. I regularly get CDs from the library. Occasionally I go out to concerts. It would help me learn more if I started writing some reviews.

Denise McGill

4 years agofrom Fresno CA

Great job. This is bookmarked for future reference because it is such valuable information. Thanks.

Stephen J Parkin

4 years agofrom Pine Grove, Nova Scotia, Canada

This all goes to show that helping others can lead to an LOTD award. Well done indeed.

anonymous

4 years ago

Excellent guide to review writing. Congratulations on getting LotD!

AUTHOR

Shay Marie

4 years agofrom Southern California

@Diana Wenzel: Yeah, Chunk ruins everything.

AUTHOR

Shay Marie

4 years agofrom Southern California

@tonyleather: Definitely, I'll have to go check your review out.

AUTHOR

Shay Marie

4 years agofrom Southern California

@Merrci: Aw, shucks.

tonyleather

4 years ago

Truly interesting. My recent review of the song Hotel California by the Eagles got awarded review of the day, so I must be doing something right?

AUTHOR

Shay Marie

4 years agofrom Southern California

@GrammieOlivia: Thank you - It's sound advice for any writer!

GrammieOlivia

4 years ago

Oh I think you have covered a number of bases. The ony thing I would add, is check for typos again and again, and grammar. Great lens!

Delia

4 years ago

Congrats on LOTD! Great advice!

Donna Cook

4 years ago

Fabulous lens! As a newbie, I really appreciate the list of how to make a review unique.

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